B-3 – Area 3 - Assessment of Environmental Effects 42 7.5.1.1 Freshwater Bodies Objective 3.14 of the RPS and associated policies seek to maintain or enhance the mauri and identified values of freshwater bodies. It proposes to do this by implementing many of the outcomes sought by the objectives and policies of the NPSFM, including: maintaining or enhancing the overall quality of freshwater within the Waikato Region;2 safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of freshwater bodies and their outstanding or significant values;3 enabling people to provide for their social, economic and cultural wellbeing;4 establishing objectives, limits and targets for freshwater bodies;5 recognising that there will be variable management response within different catchments;6 and, recognising the interrelationship between land use and water quality and quantity.7 Objective 3.15 and associated policies seek that the allocation and use of freshwater is managed to achieve those freshwater objectives by: avoiding any new over-allocation of ground and surface water;8 seeking to phase out any existing over-allocation of ground and surface water by 31 December 2030;9 increasing efficiency in the allocation and use of water;10 and recognising the social, economic and cultural benefits of water takes and uses.11 Due to low permeability of the andesite rock mass, through which the WUG Access Tunnel will be driven through, dewatering activities within Area 3 are not expected to alter the flows within any surface water bodies. For this same reason, dewatering is also not expected to affect any of the shallow aquifers overlying the WUG Access Tunnel. 2 Objective 3.14(a), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 3 Objective 3.14(b), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 4 Objective 3.14(f), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 5 Objective 3.14(e), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 6 Objective 3.14(g), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 7 Objective 3.14(h), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 8 Objective 3.15(a), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 9 Objective 3.15(b), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 10 Objective 3.15(c), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 11 Objective 3.15(d), Waikato Regional Policy Statement.
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